Sonics reveal Walker’s “Poisoned Well” Plan to force Bennett to sell

Wally Walker is getting hammered by PBC attorney Paul Taylor, who revealed that Walker had a well-orchestrated plan, entitled: “THE SONICS CHALLENGE: WHY A POISIONED WELL AFFORDS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY” that was designed to force the PBC to sell the team and Taylor is trying to prove, and successfully so far, that the city of Seattle was involved in undermining Bennett

Here is the long list of highlights:

*On Oct. 7, 2007 Walker had a meeting at his home with former Sen. Slade Gorton, Microsoft mogul Steve Ballmer and former Safeco Insurance president Mike McGavick

Gorton presented a document called: “The Sonics Challenge”

City lawyer Paul Lawrence calls for an OBJECTION but Judge Marsha Pechman denies it

*Taylor presents EXHIBIT 619

An e-mail from Walker to Mr. McGavick on Sept. 23, 2007

“The draft (of the Sonics challenge plan) looks very good… will help full in the blanks when we sit down with it.”

*Taylor presents EXHIBIT 620

A draft of letter on Oct. 5, 2007 sent out by K&L Gates, the city’s hired law firm

A K&L Gates secretary wrote in an e-mail to Walker, “Here’s the latest draft without the color background, it’s not pretty but the master I’m working off of looks much better. If you have revisions please call me or fax changes.”

*Walker admits the purpose of meeting was ways to keep Sonics in Seattle

— Walker continuously referred to the Bennett group as the “Oklahomans”

When asked by Taylor he if he wanted the “Oklahomans to sell the team?”, Walker responded: “We hoped they would sell the team to keep it here,” Walker said

*Taylor presents EXHIBIT 567 – Page 218 of the Sonics Challenge plan

*It states “Under the poison well plan, for the best outcome, the Oklahomans have to be willing to sell.”

Lawrence makes a CONTINUING OBJECTION, telling Pechman,”This is not a city plan or city document.”

*However, Taylor states, the master of the document came from K&L Gates, the city’s lead counsel for the lawsuit.

*HERE IS THE PLAN that was presented to Ballmer, Walker and McGavick by Gorton on Oct. 7, 2007

“The SONICS CHALLENGE”

WHY A POISIONED WELL AFFORDS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

*It states that the PBC has to “Make the team available for purchase”

*It also states: “For the best likely outcome, two things have to happen next: Oklahomans have to be willing to sell and the public folks have to do the right thing”

OTHER STATEMENTS REVEALED IN THIS PLAN

“The Path Forward”

*”The critical path is to separate the NBA from the Oklahomans”

*”The City has already taken the first of several steps and is about to take the second:

“First they hired Slade Gorton and used the misstep of an out-of-state arbitration filing to file suit, increasing the prospect of locking them (the PBC) into losses in Seattle.”

“This also exposes the league to embarrassment in a market they like”

“Second the City is going to make sure the league understand its new realism”

THE PLAN CONTINUES:

“MAKING THEM SELL”

“So it is a pincer movement: increasing the Oklahomans costs in an unpleasant environment while increasing the league’s belief that an alternative solution gains it a good new owner and keeps it in a desirable market.”

So essentially, the Sonics pull out their big guns, attempting to show that Walker worked with the city on a sophisticated plan — it was on powerpoint and written in several drafts — to force the PBC to sell because of money losses.

*Taylor presents EXHIBIT 601

A Walker e-mail attempting to cement a July 9 lunch with Slade Gorton

*Said Walker, he was “trying to reach Gorton and Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis about keeping the Sonics in Seattle.”

*Taylor presents EXHIBIT 617

An email from McGavicks to Walker

“Very Machievellian stuff that he thinks might work or at least be fun. What’s Slade got cooking?”

“You wanted to make it too expensive to leave? I think so, yes.”

— So basically McGavicks confirms a Machievellian (actually spelled Machiavellian) plan to make it too expensive for the PBC to move to Oklahoma City

*Taylor presents EXHIBIT 618

A July 24, 2007 e-mail Walker to powerful businessman John Stanton

“I met with the city today and felt better about my message of fighting Clay’s attempt to leave. Make it too expensive and too litigious for him. I get the impression that they ere in total agreement and that they (administration) understand the value of buying more time.”

Stanton’s response: “Agree completely that it should be excruciating for Clay to consider early departure. At some point, they will need Patty and Maria’s help if this becomes a fight.”

*Taylor presents EXHIBIT 570

And e-mail From Walker to McGavick on Oct. 17 2007

“Encourage league to hire independent reviewers of economics of new KeyArena plan”

“Learn what Oklahoma boys are up to and, if there is any opening, continue to drive wedge”

*WalkerJ denies trying to drive a wedge between the Oklahomans and the NBA